Q: Will we see the aurora?

A: Probably, we have an aurora sucsess rate of about 80%. But there is no guarantee. And the intensity varies a LOT.

Q: Will I get a refund if we don't see the aurora?

A: No

Q: Will the trip be canceled if the aurora forecast looks bad?

A: No, we do not go by the Aurora forecast. The simple reason is that the Aurora forecast just isn't very reliable.

Q: Will the trip be canceled if the weather looks bad?

A: Maybe, depends on how bad. If it's just cloudy we will not cancel, since we are in the montains weather is very localised and changes quickly so even when it's cloudy we can often find holes in the clouds where you can see the Aurora. But if there is an extreme snowstorm we may cancel the aurora chasing. In wich case you can choose if you want only the BBQ with a partial refund or cancel entierly for a full refund.

Q: Will it be cold?

A: The BBQ house is not very cold since we have a big fire in the center. But during the aurora chasing it can get quite cold, so dress warm. There will be a short brake betwean the food and the aurora chasing so you will have time to get dressed then. We will provide warm clothing if needed If you need advice on dressing warmly you will find it at the bottom of this page.

Q: Do I need a camera to see the aurora?

A: Not usually. The reallty weak aurora may only show up on camera or look way better on camera than in real life. But the stronger auroras are clearly visible and look way better in real life than on camera.

Q: Do I need a tripod

A: A tripod or some similar method of holding the camera perfectly still is vital for good aurora pictures. If you don't have anything you can try seating the camera on the snow or on the ground.

Q: Can I bring alcohol?

A: Yes, but if you get drunk to the point where you disturbs the other guests or become a danger to anyone you will be excluded from the tour.

Q: Can I bring my children?
A: Yes, but be aware that small children will require special attention if it gets very cold, bring extra blankets and hand warmers. For very small children you may want to be able to carry them inside your own winter clothing to protect them from the cold.

Q: How long should I stay in Abisko?

A: We usually reccomend at least 3 day, but the longer the better the chances to get to see the aurora.

Q: What's the best way to see the aurora?

A: To be outside in the dark under a clear sky as much as possible. Aurora chasing helps since you can move around and look for clear sky.

Q: What aurora prediction app or website do you reccomend?

A: We do not reccomend that you rely on any aurora predictions at all, none are very reliable.

Q: How do I get to Abisko?

A: You can fly to Kiruna and take a train or a transfere bus from there, or you can take a train all the way from Stockholm to Abisko. It's also possible to fly to Evenes in Norway, but transportation from there to Abisko is quite tricky.

Q: Should I renta car?

A: If you are used to driving on icy roads and under extreme snow conditions you can rent a car. If you have little or no experience driving under winter conditions we do not reccomend renting a car to drive here.

Q: What is the weather going to be like in two weeks or a month from now?

A: We don't know, weather frecasts in the montais is not relibale at all for more than a couple of days in advance. And the weather in the montains can vary a lot. Normal winter temperature ranges from a cauple of degrees below zero down to -25°C.

Q: When is the best time to see the aurora?

A: There isn't really a best time to see the aurora. As long as it gets dark enough at night you have chances to see them. You usually see the first aurora of the season the last week of August and the last one the seccond week of April. We run tours from the first week of September to the last week of March.

Q: How should I dress warm?

A: There are a couple of basic principles to staying warm. First of is stay dry and seccond is you want a lot of non moving air surrounding you.

The way to achive this is with the layer on layer principle. You have 3 different layers with their own purpouse. Base layer, insulation layer and shell layer.

• The base layer is what is directly on your skin. The base layes is the most important one, because it's job is to keep you dry. Here you want to avoid any plant based materials like cotton or bamboo, since they are made of cellulose they bind moisture, so all your sweat will get trapped on your skin and cool you down. The best material is merino wool, but syntheticc fibres and silk will also works well, they all have solid fibres that allows moisture to pass trough and get spread out in all the layers.
  

• The insulation layer is next, here you want something light and fluffy, whatever traps a lot of air is going to be good. If it's really cold you can add multiple insulation layers, as long as the shell layer doesn't get tight.
  

• And finally a shell layer to protect everything from wind and moisture. This is very important because if you don't have something to stop snow and wind from getting to your inner layers they will not work properly. The shell layer often have insulation layers inside it as well.
  

• Remember to weal large sizes. If clothes or shoes are snug they will squeze the air out and reduce the insulation. Adding more socks will make it worse unless you have shoes big enough.

• Cold feet and hands are often a symptom of cold legs and arms, so getting bigger boots and more socks might not help of you don't have enough on your legs.

• Don't shower or use the sauna before going outside. Showering will moisten up your skin and you will get really cold really fast. In the arctic we shower in the evening before we go to bed.

• Don't clean your face in the morning and don't use makeup or moisturizer. The best protection your face has agianst the cold are the natural oils you skin produces, don't wash them of.

• When you are dressed, go outside. You don't want to start sweting.

• Remember that it's more important to be comfortable than to look good.

• Be wary of alcohol, it will make you feel warmer, but it will also make you loose core body heat faster.

• Abisko Guesthouse rent out snowsuits to their guests, and snow suits are included for the aurora BBQ.
  
• Be especially careful with children, they get colder much faster than adults and may need extra protection from the cold. Really small children may need to be carried inside the shell layer of a parent under extreme cold.